Canadian climate policy experts available for interviews at COP30 in Brazil

The Canadian Climate Institute’s President, Rick Smith, is attending the 30th United Nations climate change conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, from November 13 to the 19.

Institute spokespeople will be available in Brazil and Canada to provide analysis and commentary for media on a range of topics including:

  • Canada’s climate policy progress and its role at COP30
  • Canada’s climate competitiveness strategy and how climate policies position the country in the global race towards decarbonization
  • International metrics of success in the energy transition
  • Global decarbonization efforts reshaping trade and investment
  • The Canadian Climate Institute’s participation in the International Climate Councils Network (ICCN)
  • The impact of climate change on extreme weather and disasters affecting communities and infrastructure across Canada

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About the Canadian Climate Institute

The Canadian Climate Institute is the country’s leading climate change policy research organization. We produce rigorous analysis, economic modelling, and in-depth research focused on incentivizing clean economic growth and low-carbon competitiveness, reducing emissions and accelerating Canada’s energy transition, and making our economy and infrastructure more resilient to a warming climate. 

Additional Resources

Media Contacts 

For an interview request or for background information, please contact: 

Ontario aims to drop climate targets and action plans as climate-fuelled extreme weather intensifies

OTTAWA — Rick Smith, President of the Canadian Climate Institute, made the following statement in response to the Ontario government’s proposed legislative amendments, outlined in the 2025 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review, to repeal sections 3-5 of the 2018 Cap and Trade Cancellation Act, which requires the province to set emissions reduction targets, develop a climate change plan, and report on progress toward those goals:

“Ontario’s decision to repeal the legislated requirement to set emissions-reduction targets, develop and publish credible climate plans and measure progress toward its climate goals is regrettable, and will create less certainty for Ontarians and companies doing business in the province. 

“It’s unclear how Ontario expects to achieve measurable results on reducing emissions and accelerating low-carbon competitiveness without setting a credible climate target or a plan to achieve it. 

“Reducing Canada’s emissions is a shared responsibility for governments across the country. The Canadian Climate Institute’s research shows that climate progress is most effective when both provincial and federal governments take accountability for setting credible targets and developing and executing credible action plans. Publishing progress reports along the way is also an essential tool to keep the public informed on what’s working and where more action is needed.  

“Put simply, what you don’t measure, you can’t manage. It’s disappointing to see Ontario walking away from basic transparency and best practices for tackling climate change. 

“This decision is especially puzzling as Ontarians face escalating disruption and costs from climate-fuelled flooding, wildfires and extreme heat. This summer alone, the province experienced one of its worst wildfire seasons on record, burning an area almost seven times as large as the previous year and blanketing major urban centres with wildfire smoke. Toronto also saw a record number of extreme heat days this year, threatening Ontarians’ health and productivity.  

“While the Trump administration may be stepping back from climate action, the rest of the world is moving full speed ahead with the energy transition. If Ontario wants to succeed in diversifying its markets and expanding trade with regions beyond the United States such as Europe and Asia, it must keep pace by investing in clean energy technologies and implementing a credible climate plan that supports competitiveness and affordability.”

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MEDIA CONTACTS

Claudine Brulé (Eastern Time, English / français)
Lead, Communications and External Affairs
(226) 212-9883

Krystal Northey (Mountain Time, English)
Lead, Public Affairs
(226) 212-9883

About the Canadian Climate Institute 

The Canadian Climate Institute is Canada’s leading climate change policy research organization. The Institute produces rigorous analysis, economic modelling, and in-depth research focused on incentivizing clean economic growth and low-carbon competitiveness, reducing emissions and accelerating Canada’s net zero energy transition, and making our economy and infrastructure more resilient to a warming climate. climateinstitute.ca

Budget 2025 takes clear steps to strengthen Canada’s climate competitiveness

OTTAWA — Rick Smith, President of the Canadian Climate Institute, made the following statement in response to the federal government’s Climate Competitiveness Strategy outlined in Budget 2025:

“The global economic activity generated by decarbonization is one of the greatest opportunities of this century. Canada’s Climate Competitiveness Strategy, announced by the federal government today, is a good first step toward ensuring Canada can succeed in this context. If Canada aims to double non-U.S. exports over the next decade, it will be critical to increase trade with Europe, Asia, and the Americas—all of which continue to take strong action to accelerate the shift to renewables, electric vehicles, and other low-carbon electric technologies.

“The budget proposes actions and delivery timelines to bolster Canada’s climate competitiveness—especially on core policies such as industrial carbon pricing, stronger methane regulations, sustainable investment guidelines, and tax credits for expanding clean electricity. We look forward to working with the federal government to ensure these essential policies result in more abundant and affordable energy, attract new investment to Canadian industries, support more well-paying jobs and economic growth across the country, and help make communities more secure and resilient.

“Swift implementation of climate competitiveness priorities will define how Canada succeeds or fails. In the absence of some remaining details, policy uncertainty persists, undermining Canadian firms’ ability to attract investment.”

KEY POLICY DETAILS

For the last six months, the Climate Institute has emphasized the importance of several climate and competitiveness priorities. This budget addresses each of them, with varying levels of detail: 

Industrial carbon pricing:

Modernizing industrial carbon pricing remains one of the most important things the federal government can do to reduce emissions while keeping costs low for businesses and having virtually no impact on the cost of living. Doing so requires fixing problems with provincial carbon credit markets, and creating certainty around carbon markets beyond 2030 so that businesses can make big investments in low-carbon projects. 

Critically, Budget 2025 makes a clear commitment to bring more certainty to industrial carbon pricing. It commits to fixing the federal benchmark (which defines minimum standards for provincial systems), improving the federal backstop (which will be decisively applied in jurisdictions that do not meet the benchmark), and developing a long-term price trajectory. The details and specifics of these changes will make or break this policy’s effectiveness, both for the climate and competitiveness. We look forward to contributing to the government’s efforts to improve this critical policy tool.

Methane regulations for oil and gas:

We support the government’s commitment to finalize enhanced rules to reduce methane emissions for the oil and gas sector. Oil and gas emissions remain a barrier to Canada’s overall climate progress and make up nearly a third of the country’s greenhouse gases. Stronger rules to reduce methane pollution would build on an impressive record of success in provinces like B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan, and create new opportunities for Canadian companies that have been leaders in commercializing technologies to manage methane. And methane represents some of the lowest-cost emissions reductions available. 

Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit: 

Budget 2025 explicitly recognizes the importance of dramatically increasing investment into Canada’s electricity system, and commits to introduce legislation soon implementing the Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit to support provinces in upgrading and expanding their electricity grids, as well as enhancements to existing tax credits. We also support the decision to maintain the federal Clean Electricity Regulations, which will help accelerate the transition to clean, reliable power. Low-carbon electricity is already a major Canadian competitive advantage, and making sure electricity remains abundant and affordable will be essential for future competitiveness as demand continues to grow.

Climate Investment Taxonomy:

Importantly, the Budget recommits Canada to finalizing a national climate investment taxonomy (referred to as “Made-in Canada Sustainable Investment Guidelines”) for the financial sector by the end of 2026. The voluntary guidelines will provide much-needed criteria to help investors evaluate material risks and opportunities from transition. Budget 2025 also notes the government’s intention to explore a Sustainable Bond Framework in support of issuing both green and transition bonds to be aligned with a Canadian taxonomy, further mobilizing investment to support the transition.

Electric Vehicle Availability Standard: 

While Budget 2025 notes that the national Electric Vehicle Availability Standard is currently under review, we urge the federal government to maintain the core elements of the policy, to help increase Canadians’ access to high-quality, lower-cost electric vehicles. The federal government should follow through on its commitment to bring clarity and transparency to any change to the policy within the following weeks. 

Resilient communities and infrastructure: 

Budget 2025 makes little mention of how the federal government will support provinces and communities in making infrastructure more resilient to climate-fueled extreme weather. Investing in adaptation is not a ‘nice to have’—upgrading infrastructure for current and future extreme weather will be crucial to saving billions of dollars in costs from disrupted trade and other economic impacts, and should be a key component of any climate competitiveness strategy. 

In particular, the announcement of $51 billion for a new Build Communities Strong Fund should be carefully designed to ensure that projects funded through this program do not make Canada more vulnerable to climate change. Funded projects should both strengthen resilience by building infrastructure that can withstand a harsher and more volatile climate, and avoid encouraging new development in areas that are—or will become—unsafe from threats such as flooding and wildfire. 

Critical minerals: 

Budget 2025 explicitly tackles some of the concerns the Climate Institute raised in our report, Critical Path, which called for policy to de-risk investment in Canadian critical minerals projects. The Budget responds to this concern by committing $2 billion dollars in a new Critical Minerals Sovereign Wealth Fund to make strategic investments in critical mineral projects and companies. This approach, if well-implemented, will unlock private investment in Canadian projects to help seize a growing opportunity in the global energy transition, while also protecting the economic security of Canadian electrification supply chains. 

Indigenous housing: 

Budget 2025 commits to addressing the unique and persistent housing and infrastructure challenges facing Indigenous communities. It commits to work with Indigenous leadership in developing Build Canada Homes to ensure it meets First Nations, Inuit, and Métis identified needs and priorities. It also confirms $2.8 billion for urban, rural, and northern Indigenous housing as well as an increase in the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s target for investments in Indigenous infrastructure from at least $1 billion to at least $3 billion. As it implements these changes, the federal government should work to link these actions with both reconciliation and climate objectives.  

RESOURCES

CONTACTS

Claudine Brulé (Eastern Time)
Lead, Communications and External Affairs
Canadian Climate Institute
(226) 212-9883

About the Canadian Climate Institute 

The Canadian Climate Institute is Canada’s leading climate change policy research organization. The Institute produces rigorous analysis, economic modelling, and in-depth research focused on incentivizing clean economic growth and low-carbon competitiveness, reducing emissions and accelerating Canada’s net zero energy transition, and making our economy and infrastructure more resilient to a warming climate. climateinstitute.ca

2024 emissions estimate shows progress stalled, Canada’s 2030 climate target out of reach

OTTAWA — Canada’s emissions progress flatlined in 2024, according to the latest Early Estimate of National Emissions (EENE) from 440 Megatonnes, a project of the Canadian Climate Institute. With emissions essentially unchanged from 2023, at 694 megatonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent (Mt), the new data shows that previous years’ improvements have stalled.     

Further, emissions trends indicate Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target is now out of reach given weakening policy momentum across the country. That’s despite years of disruptive and costly wildfires, extreme weather and other climate-related disasters that increasingly threaten Canadians’ security and drive up the cost of living.

The 2024 early estimate finds that Canada’s emissions remained just 8.5 per cent below 2005 levels, roughly the same level they were at in the previous year. While some sectors—including electricity and buildings—continued to cut emissions in 2024, progress was modest and more than countered by rising emissions from oil and gas, particularly oil sands production. Overall, oil and gas emissions rose 1.9 per cent and accounted for 31 per cent of the national total in 2024.

Emissions trends show Canada’s emissions are on track to be just 20 to 25 per cent below 2005 levels in 2030. This outcome falls far short of the legislated target of a 40 to 45 per cent reduction in emissions, and well below what could have been achieved if governments across the federation had implemented climate policies as announced. Achieving Canada’s 2030 target would require emissions reductions of roughly 40 Mt per year—well beyond current trends.

Recent federal and provincial policy setbacks have put Canada’s progress in tackling climate change and spurring low-carbon competitiveness in jeopardy. Setbacks include the repeal of the consumer carbon tax, delays to federal and provincial electric vehicle policies, and weakened industrial carbon pricing in several provinces. In addition, market trends—including the planned expansion of liquefied natural gas production—could further lock in emissions-intensive growth for years to come, putting even the 2035 target in peril.

Protecting Canadians from the damaging effects of climate change, and aligning Canada’s emissions with its international and legislated commitments will require a substantive policy reset by federal, provincial, and territorial governments. Shared policy priorities should include action to modernize industrial carbon pricing, finalization of new methane regulations for oil and gas, investment in clean electricity, and making cleaner fuels and vehicles more affordable and widely available, among others.

QUICK FACTS

  • Canada’s emissions in 2024 are estimated at 694 megatonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent (Mt), or 8.5 per cent below 2005 levels.
  • Oil and gas: Emissions rose 1.9 per cent from the previous year, driven by a 3.4 per cent increase in oil sands emissions.
  • Transportation: Emissions dropped 0.7 per cent, continuing a modest downward trend from 2023.
  • Buildings: Emissions declined 1.2 per cent, a slower pace than the previous year due to a colder winter.
  • Heavy industry: Emissions fell 1.2 per cent, showing signs of decarbonization progress despite uneven results across sub-sectors.
  • Electricity: Emissions dropped 1.9 per cent to 59 per cent below 2005 levels, reinforcing the importance of coordinated federal and provincial policy and technology improvements.
  • Climate change makes wildfires bigger, hotter, and more frequent. So far in 2025, wildfires have consumed a total area of 8.7 million hectares, over two and half times the size of Vancouver Island. Communities not typically known for wildfire activity, including in Atlantic Canada, now face record drought conditions and increasing fire risks.
  • Damages from extreme weather events in 2024 shattered records for the costliest year in Canada, at more than $8.5 billion in insured losses.

QUOTES

“After yet another summer of terrible wildfires, extreme weather, and rising costs, Canadians would be right to expect their governments to take more action to fight climate change, not take their foot off the accelerator. Instead, the latest emissions data confirm that two decades of climate progress is in jeopardy without a policy reboot from governments right across the country. With emissions flatlining and important policies being scaled back, Canada’s 2030 target is now out of reach—and the longer we take to get back on track, the more Canadians will pay the price.”
 — Rick Smith, President, Canadian Climate Institute

“2025 is Canada’s fork in the road on climate. All the signals indicate Canada’s emissions momentum is going the wrong way as policy effort slows. After years of hard-won progress by federal, provincial, and territorial governments, emissions look set to return to growth, putting the 2030 target out of reach. The choices governments make this year will decide whether we lock in decline or drift upwards. As rising climate damages and looming Trump tariffs threaten our stability and competitiveness, Canada needs a thoughtful, longer-term cooperative approach to carbon policy across the federation.”
 — Dave Sawyer, Principal Economist, Canadian Climate Institute

RESOURCES

MEDIA CONTACTS

Claudine Brulé (Eastern Time)
(226) 212-9883
cbrule@climateinstitute.ca

Krystal Northey (Mountain Time)
(226) 212-9883
knorthey@climateinstitute.ca

440 Megatonnes is a project of the Canadian Climate Institute, Canada’s leading climate change policy research organization. We produce rigorous analysis, economic modelling, and in-depth research, and have experts available to comment on topics including: low-carbon competitiveness, the costs of climate-related disasters, Canada’s progress in reducing emissions, and policy priorities for the incoming federal government.

Alberta weakens its own industrial emissions-trading market, threatening investment in climate solutions

OTTAWA — Dale Beugin, Executive Vice President at the Canadian Climate Institute, made the following statement in response to the Government of Alberta’s announced changes to its Technology, Innovation and Emission Reduction Regulation (TIER):

“Today Alberta announced changes that would weaken the province’s long-standing industrial emissions trading market. The changes proposed exacerbate existing challenges with the policy rather than addressing them. They will create more uncertainty for business and make building low-carbon projects across the province harder. Alberta’s carbon market needs updates, but today’s changes move it in the wrong direction.  

“Large-emitter trading systems like TIER are Canada’s most important climate policy. They are designed to protect competitiveness, attract investment, and drive emissions reductions. Modernizing TIER, however, is critical for delivering on these goals. Without improvements, excess credit supply—and the low credit prices that result—will dilute incentives for investment. 

“Alberta’s proposal for direct investment compliance risks compromising the credibility of TIER. It risks double-crediting companies for investments they may have made anyway and crediting activities that may not reduce emissions at all, while also increasing the oversupply of credits in the system. 

“At the same time, allowing smaller emitters to opt out of the policy further reduces their incentives to reduce emissions. 

“These changes add up to two things: less long-term certainty for businesses and investors, and more harmful emissions going into our atmosphere—contributing to global emissions fueling more wildfires, droughts, and extreme weather endangering Albertan communities. 

“For more than 15 years, Alberta’s emissions markets have helped to limit greenhouse gas emissions from heavy industry, while creating incentives for companies to invest in low-carbon technologies and reduce emissions from their operations. TIER is already well positioned to protect the competitiveness of Albertan industry, helping address U.S. tariff-induced economic pressures. 

“A functioning industrial carbon market is critical for Alberta’s credibility in attracting investment and in claiming a low-carbon advantage in international markets. Instead of the shifts announced today, Alberta should prioritize bringing much-needed transparency, liquidity, certainty, and credibility to its carbon market through sensible approaches to policy modernization. Modernizing TIER will improve long-term market function by maintaining cost predictability while preserving strong incentives for emissions reductions and clean technology investment.” 

RESOURCES

CONTACTS

Krystal Northey (Mountain Time)
Public Affairs Lead
Canadian Climate Institute
(226) 212-9883

Claudine Brulé (Eastern Time)
Lead, Communications and External Affairs
Canadian Climate Institute
(226) 212-9883

About the Canadian Climate Institute 

The Canadian Climate Institute is Canada’s leading climate change policy research organization. The Institute produces rigorous analysis, economic modelling, and in-depth research focused on incentivizing clean economic growth and low-carbon competitiveness, reducing emissions and accelerating Canada’s net zero energy transition, and making our economy and infrastructure more resilient to a warming climate.

climateinstitute.ca

Canada should prioritize low-carbon projects in “nation building” efforts

Rick Smith, President of the Canadian Climate Institute, made the following statement in response to the federal government’s announcement of projects in the national interest.

“Amid rising costs and volatile trade dynamics, an accelerating global energy transition, and increasingly costly and disruptive climate-related disasters, it matters how Canada defines ‘nation-building projects’ and which types of development it prioritizes.

“Accelerating the development of clean electricity, low-carbon energy, and critical minerals projects will strengthen Canada’s economic autonomy and competitiveness, fight climate change, and support Indigenous leadership and economic opportunities.

“We’re pleased to see some of these considerations reflected in the government’s initial major projects list, and we hope to see more clean energy projects prioritized moving forward. The prospect of fast-tracking oil and gas projects, including LNG, without mitigating emissions impacts through electrification or other means represents a risk to Canada’s emissions goals. Ultimately, the most effective way to enhance Canada’s low-carbon competitiveness is swiftly implementing strong, coherent policy to accelerate clean growth across the country, help Canadian companies reduce emissions, and make our communities and infrastructure more resilient to climate-induced disasters.

“We look forward to the forthcoming climate competitiveness strategy and urge all governments to take swift action to accomplish these goals. In the coming months, the Institute will undertake further analysis on how major projects and infrastructure can complement Canadian policy to achieve net zero.”

RESOURCES

Media statement | As Parliament returns, protecting Canadians and our economy from climate change must be a top priority

Op-ed | Connecting regional electricity grids should be Canada’s top nation-building project

As Parliament returns, protecting Canadians and our economy from climate change must be a top priority

OTTAWA—Rick Smith, President of the Canadian Climate Institute, and Peter Nicholson Sr., Chair of the Board of the Canadian Climate Institute, made the following statement ahead of the return of Parliament next week: 

“As Parliament resumes this fall, the federal government must act urgently to address the ways climate change is threatening Canadians’ health, security, economic competitiveness, and ways of life. 

“This summer, we were reminded once again how climate change threatens the safety and security of communities across the country by contributing increasingly to drought, fire, extreme heat, and degraded air quality. Both the return of Parliament and the forthcoming release of the government’s climate competitiveness strategy offer opportunities to move forward with pragmatic action that keeps people safe, drives emissions down, and supports economic competitiveness when it is needed most.

Climate change is a threat to health and safety across Canada

“The second-worst wildfire season on record has consumed millions of hectares of forest and land, forced the evacuation of numerous communities, shattered heat records, and blanketed the country’s largest cities in smoke— impacting air quality for millions of people across Canada, the United States, and even parts of Europe. Communities not typically known for wildfire activity, including in Atlantic Canada, now face record drought conditions and increasing fire risks. 

“The cause of these escalating dangers is clear: climate change is putting people’s lives and livelihoods at risk in every region across Canada. In fact, these threats are ongoing: much of the country continues to face dangerous wildfires and smoke advisories. That means continued disruptions to communities and industries, impacts on agriculture, and foregone tourism revenue in a year Canadians have been encouraged to travel domestically. 

Six policy priorities to protect Canada’s economic security and competitiveness

“As governments work to support Canadian businesses in navigating new economic constraints and unpredictable trade dynamics, parliamentarians also need to be clear-eyed about the additional pressures climate change is placing on the country’s economic security—pressures that will only worsen if they don’t receive the right policy attention now.  

“In addition to upending global trade, the Trump administration has taken steps to make the U.S. economy less competitive by backing away from affordable clean technologies at exactly the time other major economies are doubling down on decarbonization. We urge the federal government to define and implement a robust climate competitiveness strategy, while moving swiftly on six policy priorities:

Swift and decisive action is necessary

“Canadians need all orders of government to act swiftly and decisively in the face of these threats. Climate change is already affecting millions of Canadians and is a defining challenge for Canada’s economy. 

“When Parliament reconvenes next week, we urge the federal government to meet the moment with policies that bolster low-carbon competitiveness, reduce emissions to meet our declared targets, and accelerate adaptation to future climate impacts. Canada’s ability to thrive in the global energy transition, keep communities safe, and ensure long-term prosperity depends on the actions our elected leaders take right now.” 

RESOURCES

MEDIA CONTACTS

Claudine Brulé (Eastern Time)
(226) 212-9883
cbrule@climateinstitute.ca

Krystal Northey (Mountain Time)
(226) 212-9883
knorthey@climateinstitute.ca

The Canadian Climate Institute is Canada’s leading climate change policy research organization. We produce rigorous analysis, economic modelling, and in-depth research, and have experts available to comment on topics including: low-carbon competitiveness, the costs of climate-related disasters in Canada, and Canada’s progress in reducing emissions. 

Canada’s review of the electric vehicle mandate—and other climate policies—must be swift and grounded in evidence

TORONTO—Rick Smith, President of the Canadian Climate Institute, made the following statement about the federal government’s pause of its Electric Vehicle Availability Standard and changes to the Clean Fuel Regulations:

“Today’s announcement is a missed opportunity for the federal government to reiterate the clear benefits of good climate policy, like the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard, to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and protect Canada’s economic competitiveness. While the news of a forthcoming carbon competitiveness strategy is encouraging, today’s announcement introduces new uncertainty for auto manufacturers and investors, and undermines smart, low-cost climate policy in a critical sector.”

“More than four months after its election, and in the wake of a destructive summer of climate change-driven drought, wildfires, and smoke affecting millions of Canadians, the federal government has provided limited information about its intentions on climate policy. We look forward to the release of the carbon competitiveness strategy and to participating in this policy review, which must be evidence-based. 

“The evidence shows very clearly that the federal EV standard will help Canadians find better, more affordable automobile options, while also creating flexibility for vehicle manufacturers. The EV standard can ensure Canada keeps pace with an automobile market that is rapidly shifting towards electrification and emissions reduction. 

“With respect to the Clean Fuel Regulations, we welcome the inclusion of measures that will benefit Canadian biofuel producers, as well as canola farmers dealing with trade sanctions, but reiterate the critical importance of ensuring this standard continues to measurably reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the country.

“Together, these two policies are among the only tools the federal government has to reduce emissions from the transportation sector, which is the second highest-emitting sector in the country at 23 per cent of total national emissions. Without quick and sustained policy action to address national emissions, Canada is at risk of falling further off track of its climate and clean economy goals and losing further momentum on achieving its climate goals. 

“As Canadians across the country continue to grapple with the devastating impacts of the second worst wildfire season on record, our governments need to step up to protect the safety of Canadians and build a more competitive economy that is purpose-built for the global energy transition that continues to charge ahead.”

RESOURCES

MEDIA CONTACTS

Claudine Brulé (Eastern Time)
(226) 212-9883
cbrule@climateinstitute.ca

Krystal Northey (Mountain Time)
(226) 212-9883
knorthey@climateinstitute.ca

The Canadian Climate Institute is Canada’s leading climate change policy research organization. We produce rigorous analysis, economic modelling, and in-depth research, and have experts available to comment on topics including: carbon pricing, the costs of climate-related disasters in Canada, and Canada’s progress in reducing emissions, and policy priorities for the incoming federal government. 

FACT SHEET: Climate change and drought

Download fact sheet

Climate change will increase the risk and severity of droughts in parts of Canada that already struggle with water shortages, like the southern Prairies and the interior of British Columbia (Bonsal et al. 2019). A drought is a period of abnormally dry weather that lasts long enough to cause serious water shortages for natural ecosystems, agriculture, and people.

Climate change is making droughts more frequent and more severe

  • Climate change has made droughts more frequent and severe around the world, and the trend is expected to continue to worsen (IPCC 2023, p. 67; Chiang et al. 2023). 
  • Climate change exacerbates drought, both because it shifts rainfall patterns and because it increases temperatures, leaving ecosystems increasingly vulnerable to dry conditions. Rising temperatures strain water supplies by increasing both evaporation rates and water consumption by plants (Walker and Van Loon 2023), resulting in drier soil conditions and water scarcity (Overpeck and Udall 2020).
  • Rising global temperatures alter precipitation patterns (United Nations n.d.; Zhang et al. 2019), reduce snowpack levels, and threaten glacial run-off as glaciers recede.
  • Climate change is also causing droughts to develop faster, making “flash droughts” more common (Yuan et al. 2023). This new reality makes forecasting and monitoring droughts more difficult.
  • Over the 21st century, the total land area subject to drought is expected to increase, with over 40 per cent of global land area expected to experience year-round drying by the end of the century, even under low-emissions scenarios (IPCC 2023, p. 1119; Cook et al. 2020).

Climate change worsens conditions in drought-prone regions

  • The southern Prairies and the interior of British Columbia are especially susceptible to drought and have seen several prolonged droughts in the past century. 
  • Climate change is likely to substantially increase the frequency, severity, and duration of summer droughts in interior B.C. and the southern Prairies by end-of-century (Bonsal et al. 2019). 
  • In the Western provinces, declining mountain snowpack and shrinking glaciers will further reduce summer river flows, compounding drought risk.
  • Much of Southern Canada may experience more frequent severe-to-extreme drought conditions by the late century, including in B.C., the Prairies, and Ontario (Dai, 2012; Zhao and Dai, 2015).

Explore the climate costs tracker to visualize climate-fuelled weather events in Canada.

Droughts are costly disasters

  • Droughts were an important factor in the recent dramatic increase in crop insurance payments in Canada, which surged from $890 million in 2018 to $4.9 billion in 2022 (Arnason 2024). 
  • Drought insurance payouts to Alberta’s farmers and agri-businesses reached a record $326.5 million in 2023, more than tripling the payouts from the 2021 drought, according to the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (Smith 2024).
  • Due to severe drought, crop production in Saskatchewan fell by a record 47 per cent in 2021. That year, Saskatchewan was the only province to see its economy contract (-0.3 per cent). Statistics Canada reported that while “activity was up in most sectors of the economy, those gains were entirely negated by the worst drought in nearly two decades” (Statistics Canada 2022).
  • In the Abitibi region of Québec, hay producers received a record $6.8 million in compensation for the 2023 drought, more than triple the annual average (Cameron 2024).
  • Droughts limit hydroelectricity generation, cutting revenue for utilities, increasing reliance on fossil-fuel generation (Statistics Canada 2024), and making electricity more expensive for consumers (CBC News 2023).
  • In January 2024, drought conditions in both B.C. and Manitoba meant lower reservoir levels at hydroelectric facilities, forcing the two provinces to import power from other jurisdictions (Canadian Press 2024).
  • Water shortage in its reservoirs forced Hydro-Québec to halve its electricity exports in 2023 and 2024, resulting in a $866 million drop in revenue for the utility in 2024 alone (Hydro-Québec 2024). Similarly, a drought in Manitoba in 2021 limited power production, resulting in a $248-million loss for Manitoba Hydro (Manitoba Hydro 2022).

Droughts threaten the health of Canadians

  • Droughts can degrade drinking water quality and increase the risk of water-borne diseases, as sluggish flows and more evaporation concentrate contaminants in water bodies and promote toxic algal blooms (Yusa et al. 2015).
  • Droughts can contribute to respiratory issues (Yusa et al. 2015) due to windblown dust from dried-out soils, exacerbating conditions such as asthma. 
  • Droughts can increase the likelihood of infection among recreational water users at times when warm weather drives engagement in water activities (Yusa et al. 2015).
  • Drought is associated with mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and increased risk of suicide, especially for farmers, who can experience financial and emotional stress during droughts (Ellis and Albrecht 2017).

Droughts worsen the risk of floods, wildfires and ecosystem damage

  • Droughts fuel wildfires by drying out vegetation and soils, creating highly flammable conditions. Prolonged water stress weakens trees and plants, causing them to shed leaves and needles, lose moisture, and eventually die, adding to the amount of available fuel. At the same time, hot, dry conditions lower humidity and increase the likelihood that sparks from lightning, equipment, or human activity will ignite a fire. Once fires start, low moisture allows them to spread quickly and burn more intensely, increasing the risk to communities, ecosystems, and critical infrastructure. 
  • Attribution studies show that the increase in drought-like hot and dry weather behind the exceptional wildfires in Eastern Canada in 2023 was made more than twice as likely by climate change.
  • July was exceptionally hot and dry in Jasper National Park, with drought conditions exacerbating fire risk and making forests more prone to ignite ahead of the 2024 wildfire that destroyed much of the Jasper townsite.
  • Drought can increase the risk of flooding. Dry conditions hurt soil quality and kill off vegetation, making soil less able to absorb water. If heavy rainfall follows a drought, water can run off more easily, which increases the risk of flooding (Bonsal et al. 2019).  
  • Droughts in northwest British Columbia, particularly during July and August when salmon are migrating to their upstream spawning areas, can cause severe and lasting damage to their populations, to ecosystems, and to the Indigenous Peoples that rely on them (Curran and Marsden 2021).

Governments can do a lot to protect Canadians from the worsening risk of droughts

Scientists have warned that the consequences of climate change will only get worse as the concentration of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere increases (IPCC 2022). Governments around the world, including Canada’s, must act immediately to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming.

Because the impacts of climate change are already here and getting worse, communities and governments must work together to adapt and prepare for the increased risk of drought today. Specific measures governments can take include:

  • Plan proactively: All orders of governments can prepare for shortages by developing and implementing proactive drought response plans, such as Alberta’s comprehensive Drought Response Plan. These plans include clear strategies for managing water resources, coordinating across sectors, and protecting vulnerable communities (Government of Alberta 2024).
  • Conserve water: Water conservation can reduce the adverse impacts of droughts when supplies are low. This can include voluntary or mandatory restrictions on water use during dry periods. Governments may need to implement stronger policies to prevent waste, such as universal water metering. 
  • Protect water quality:  Increased water quality monitoring during droughts helps safeguard drinking water and protect recreational water users from adverse health effects, such as parasites and toxins (Yusa et al. 2015).
  • Strengthen agricultural resilience: Governments can increase drought resilience by improving early warning systems, such as the Canadian Drought Monitor (Agriculture and Agri Food Canada 2024), supporting investment in irrigation and water storage, and incentivizing the use of drought-tolerant crop varieties. 
  • Support farming communities: Strong crop insurance, disaster relief programs, and mental health supports are vital for farming families and agricultural communities coping with financial and emotional stress during droughts (Bonsal et al. 2011; Hart et al. 2011). 
  • Invest in structural measures for hydroelectricity: The hydroelectricity sector could adapt to drought by continuing to invest in water management infrastructure, such as reservoirs, to ensure that energy production can continue during low water levels (BC Hydro 2024).

Resources

Experts available for comment and background information on this topic:

  • Ryan Ness is Director of Adaptation Research at the Canadian Climate Institute and the lead researcher on the Institute’s Costs of Climate Change series (Eastern Time, English and French).

For more information or to interview an expert, please contact: 

Claudine Brulé
Lead, Communications and External Affairs
cbrule@climateinstitute.ca
(226) 212-9883  (Eastern Time, French & English)

Krystal Northey 
Lead, Public Affairs 
knorthey@climateinstitute.ca
(226) 212-9883 (Mountain Time, English)

References 

Agriculture and Agri Food Canada. 2024. Canadian Drought Monitor. https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/agricultural-production/weather/canadian-drought-monitor 

Arnason, Robert. 2024. “Crop Insurance Costs Explode.” The Western Producer, February 29. https://www.producer.com/news/crop-insurance-costs-explode/  

BC Hydro. 2024. “How we manage drought conditions.” https://www.bchydro.com/energy-in-bc/operations/transmission-reservoir-data/drought-management.html 

Bonsal, B.R., D.L. Peters, et al. 2019. “Changes in freshwater availability across Canada; Chapter 6 in Canada’s Changing Climate Report.” Government of Canada. https://changingclimate.ca/CCCR2019/chapter/6-0/ 

Bonsal, Barrie, Rajesh R. Shrestha, Yonas Dibike, et al. “Western Canadian Freshwater Availability: Current and Future Vulnerabilities.” Environmental Reviews 28, no. 4 (2020): 528–45. https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2020-0040

Cameron, Daphné. 2024. “Compensations pour Pertes Agricoles: Un Milliard pour les Agriculteurs après une Année Désastreuse.” La Presse, March 21. https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2024-03-21/compensations-pour-pertes-agricoles/un-milliard-pour-les-agriculteurs-apres-une-annee-desastreuse.php.  

Canadian Press. 2024. “Drought in Western Canada Impacting Hydropower Production as Reservoirs Run Low.” Business in Vancouver, January 29. https://www.biv.com/news/resources-agriculture/drought-western-canada-impacting-hydropower-production-reservoirs-run-low-8295183  

CBC News. 2023. “Drought is causing B.C. utilities to import more power — and that will affect your bills in 2024.” December 21. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-electric-rate-changes-as-province-imports-power-1.7065802

Chiang, Felicia, Omid Mazdiyasni, and Amir AghaKouchak. 2021. “Evidence of Anthropogenic Impacts on Global Drought Frequency, Duration, and Intensity.” Nature Communications 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22314-w

Cook, Benjamin I., Justin S. Mankin, Kate Marvel, A. Park Williams, Jason E. Smerdon, and Kevin J. Anchukaitis. 2020.  “Twenty-First Century Drought Projections in the CMIP6 Forcing Scenarios”. Earth Future 8 (6).  https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2019EF001461 

Curran, Deborah, and Tara Marsden. 2021. Ayookxw responding to climate change. Canadian Climate Institute. June 21. https://climateinstitute.ca/publications/ayookxw-responding-to-climate-change/ 

Dai, A. 2012. “Increasing Drought under Global Warming in Observations and Models”. Nature Climate Change 3, 52–58.

Ellis, Neville R., Albrecht, Glenn A. 2017. “Climate change threats to family farmers’ sense of place and mental well-being: A case study from the Western Australian Wheatbelt”. Social Science and Medicine 175, 161-168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.01.009 

Government of Alberta. 2024. Alberta Drought Response Plan. Environment and Protected Areas. August 14. https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/epa-alberta-drought-response-plan.pdf 

Hart, Craig Richard, Helen Louise Berry, and Anne Maree Tonna. 2011. “Improving the mental health of rural New South Wales communities facing drought and other adversities”. The Australian Journal of Rural Health 19 (5). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1440-1584.2011.01225.x

Hydro-Québec. 2024. Une transition ambitieuse: Rapport Annuel 2024. https://www.hydroquebec.com/a-propos/publications-rapports/rapport-annuel.html 

IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). 2023. Climate Change 2021 – The Physical Science Basis: Working Group I Contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Manitoba Hydro. 2022. “Manitoba Hydro posts $248 million consolidated net loss due to drought: 2021-22 annual report.”  September 29. https://www.hydro.mb.ca/articles/2022/09/manitoba_hydro_posts_248_million_consolidated_net_loss_due_to_drought_2021_22_annual_report/

Natural Resources Canada. 2024. “Drought.” Natural Resources Canada, April 12. https://natural-resources.canada.ca/climate-change/climate-change-impacts-forests/forest-change-indicators/drought/17772.

Overpeck, Jonathan T., and Bradley Udall. 2020. “Climate Change and the Aridification of North America.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117(22): 11856–11858. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2006323117   

Smith, Madeline. 2024. “Farmers, Ranchers Worry About Coming Season Amid Drought, High Pasture Insurance Payouts.” CBC, February 26. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-farmer-rancher-drought-insurance-1.7124671.  

Statistics Canada. 2022. “Drought drags down Saskatchewan Economy in 2021”. Statistics Canada. September 23. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/1852-drought-drags-down-saskatchewan-economy-2021  

Statistics Canada. 2024. An energy snapshot: First quarter of 2024 review. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/6447-energy-snapshot-first-quarter-2024-review

Tam, Benita Y.; Szeto, Kit; Bonsal, Barrie; Flato, Greg; Cannon, Alex J.;  & Rong, Robin. 2019. “CMIP5 drought projections in Canada based on the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index”. Canadian Water Resources Journal / Revue canadienne des ressources hydriques, 44 (1), 90-107. https://doi.org/10.1080/07011784.2018.1537812

United Nations. n.d. “Water – At the Center of the Climate Crisis.” United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/water

Walker, David, and Anne F. Van Loon. 2023. “Droughts Are Coming on Faster.” Science 380(6641): 130–132. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adh3097 

World Weather Attribution. 2023. “Climate change more than doubled the likelihood of extreme fire weather conditions in Eastern Canada.” August 22. https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/climate-change-more-than-doubled-the-likelihood-of-extreme-fire-weather-conditions-in-eastern-canada/   

Yuan, Xing, Yumiao Wang, Peng Ji, Peili Wu, Justin Sheffield, and Jason A. Otkin. 2023. “A Global Transition to Flash Droughts under Climate Change.” Science, 380(6641), 187–191. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abn6301 

Yusa, Anna, Peter Berry, June J. Cheng, Nicholas Ogden, Barrie Bonsal, Ronald Stewart, and Ruth Waldick. 2015. “Climate Change, Drought and Human Health in Canada.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 12(7): 8359–8412. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120708359  

Zhang, Xuebin, Greg Flato, Megan Kirchmeier-Young, Lucie Vincent, Hui Wan, Xiaolan L. Wang, Robin Rong, John Fyfe, Guilong Li, and Viatchelsav V. Kharin. 2019. “Changes in Temperature and Precipitation Across Canada.” In Canada’s Changing Climate Report, edited by E. Bush and D. S. Lemmen, 112–193. Government of Canada. https://changingclimate.ca/CCCR2019/chapter/4-0/4-3/summary/

Zhao, T. and Dai, A. 2015. “The magnitude and causes of global drought changes in the twenty-first century under a low-moderate emissions scenario”. Journal of Climate 28, 4490–4512.

FACT SHEET: Climate change and heat waves

Download fact sheet

Climate change, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels, is causing more frequent and intense heat waves (ClimateData.ca 2024). These heat waves are threatening the safety, well-being, and prosperity of Canadians—even in cities that have historically had more moderate climates, such as Vancouver, Whitehorse, and Halifax.

Globally, 2024 was the hottest year on record, and the past ten years were the ten warmest years on record (World Meteorological Organization 2025). Canada, which is warming faster than anywhere else on earth, is suffering the consequences of the overheating climate (McBean 2024).

Climate change fuels heat waves

  • Climate change increases the frequency of extreme heat, and makes heat waves hotter, longer, and more widespread (Environment and Climate Change Canada 2025; Borenstein 2024; Hagemann 2018).
  • Canada is warming twice as fast as the global average, and Canada’s Arctic is warming nearly four times as fast (Government of Canada 2019; Rantanen et al. 2022). 
  • Climate projections show that by the second half of this century, many Canadian cities will see at least four times as many +30°C days per year on average compared to historical data (Climate Atlas of Canada n.d.).
  • The June 2024 heat wave that struck central and Eastern Canada was two to 10 times more likely due to climate change, with temperatures over 10 degrees higher than normal in parts of Quebec and Atlantic Canada (Shingler 2024).

Explore the climate costs tracker to visualize climate-fuelled weather events in Canada.

Climate-fuelled heat makes wildfires worse  

  • Climate change more than doubled the likelihood of extreme fire weather conditions (high temperatures, low humidity, and drought conditions) in Eastern Canada in 2023, and made Québec’s season 50 per cent more intense (World Weather Attribution 2023). 
  • Heat waves make it easier for wildfires to start and spread by increasing the likelihood of lightning strikes, the primary cause of wildfires (Pérez-Invernón et al. 2023). They also dry out vegetation, making it more flammable (Natural Resources Canada 2024).
  • During the 2021 heat wave in B.C., the number of active wildfires rose from six to 175, consuming nearly 79,000 hectares, including the entire town of Lytton (White et al. 2023).
  • For more information on climate change and wildfires, please see our wildfires fact sheet.

Climate-fuelled extreme heat is causing rising death rates and health issues across Canada

  • A study in Nature found that between 1981 and 2018, 37 per cent of heat-related deaths globally were attributable to climate change (Vicedo-Cabrera et al. 2021). This increased mortality is evident on every continent. 
  • Health risks from extreme heat include cardiovascular events, respiratory conditions, kidney disease, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and mental health impacts such as increased anxiety, depression, and aggressive behavior (Bell et. al 2024).
  • Elevated death rates have been documented during and following heat waves in Canada (Government of Canada 2024).  The 2021 heat wave caused an estimated 619 heat-related deaths, making it the deadliest disaster in B.C.’s recorded history (BC Coroners Service 2022). 
  • Our research shows that without action on adaptation and health system preparation, B.C. could average 1,370 heat-related deaths per year by 2030 (Beugin et al. 2023).
  • Scientists found that the 2021 B.C. heat wave would have been virtually impossible without human-caused climate change (Philip et al. 2022).
  • A 2024 study concluded that elevated summer temperatures in Québec are linked to 470 deaths, 225 hospitalizations, 36,000 emergency room visits, 7,200 ambulance transports, and 15,000 calls to Info-Santé every year. 
  • With climate change, the number of heat-related illnesses and deaths could double or even quadruple in the province by 2050 (Boudreault et al. 2024). 

The economic burden of climate-fuelled extreme heat is growing

  • Our 2021 report The Health Costs of Climate Change projected that the costs of heat-related deaths and reduced quality of life from extreme heat in Canada would range from $3 billion to $3.9 billion per year by mid-century (Clark et al. 2021). 
  • Our analysis shows that the 2021 heat wave in B.C. caused $12 million in additional healthcare costs, and that the societal costs from premature deaths were $5.5 billion (Beugin et al., 2023).
  • Canada’s manufacturing sector alone could see annual losses of $1-2 billion by 2050, due to the productivity impacts of heat waves on the workforce (Clark et al. 2021).
  • Our 2021 report Under Water: The Costs of Climate Change for Canada’s Infrastructure estimated that by mid-century, annual heat-driven damage to roads and railways could increase by over $5 billion and damage to electricity infrastructure could increase by over $1 billion (Ness et al., 2021). 

Governments can act to protect communities and slow further warming

  • Scientists have warned that the consequences of climate change will only get worse as the concentration of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere increases (IPCC 2022).
  • Governments must act immediately to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming, while adapting and preparing for the health and safety risks from extreme heat.
  • Adaptation strategies can improve outcomes for the most vulnerable populations, including the elderly, children, people with chronic illness, and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups (Health Canada 2011). 
  • Effective adaptation strategies include:
    • Installing indoor cooling devices like heat pumps or air conditioning, and planting green roofs and trees for shade. Our analysis shows these could reduce heat-related deaths and hospitalization 12 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively, in B.C. by the 2030s (Beugin et al. 2023). 
    • Providing employers and the public with information on how to stay safe during extreme heat waves.
    • Sending early heat warnings to allow people, communities and responders to prepare.
    • Designing infrastructure to withstand extreme heat and rainfall, potentially reducing damage costs by 80 per cent by the end of the century, or up to $3.1 billion each year (Ness et al. 2021).
    • Regulating maximum indoor temperatures in rental housing to protect tenants from extreme heat (Lawton 2025).

Resources

Experts available for comment and background information on this topic:

  • Ryan Ness is Director of Adaptation research at the Canadian Climate Institute and the lead researcher on the Institute’s Cost of Climate Change series. Ryan est également disponible pour des entretiens en français.  (Eastern Time, English and French).

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: 

Claudine Brulé
Communications and Media Relations Specialist
cbrule@climateinstitute.ca
(514) 358-8525 

References

BC Coroners Service. 2022. Extreme Heat and Human Mortality: A Review of Heat-Related Deaths in B.C. in Summer 2021. June 7. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/birth-adoption-death-marriage-and-divorce/deaths/coroners-service/death-review-panel/extreme_heat_death_review_panel_report.pdf  

Bell, Michelle L., Antonio Gasparrini, and Georges C. Benjamin. 2024. “Climate Change, Extreme Heat, and Health” eds. Caren G. Solomon and Renee N. Salas. New England Journal of Medicine 390(19): 1793–1801. doi:10.1056/NEJMra2210769.

Beugin, Dale, Dylan Clark, Sarah Miller, Ryan Ness, Ricardo Pelai, and Janna Wale. 2023. The case for adapting to extreme heat: Costs of the 2021 B.C. heat wave. Canadian Climate Institute. https://climateinstitute.ca/reports/extreme-heat-in-canada/ 

Borenstein, Seth. 2024. “Study says since 1979 climate change has made heat waves last longer, spike hotter, hurt more people.” Associated Press, March 29. https://apnews.com/article/heat-wave-climate-change-worsen-hotter-797aae046df8165f5f8be7d3f40a8b74   

Boudreault, Jérémie, Éric Lavigne, Céline Campagna, and Fateh Chebana. 2024. “Estimating the heat-related mortality and morbidity burden in the province of Quebec, Canada.” Environmental Research, September 14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.119347 

Bratu, Andreea, Kiffer G. Card, Kalysha Closson, Niloufar Aran, Carly Marshall, Susan Clayton, Maya K. Gislason, Hasina Samji, Gina Martin, Melissa Lem, Carmen H. Logie, Tim K. Takaro, and Robert S. Hogg. 2022. “The 2021 Western North American heat dome increased climate change anxiety among British Columbians: Results from a natural experiment.” The Journal of Climate Change and Health, May. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667278222000050 

Clark, Dylan, Ryan Ness, Dena Coffman, and Dale Beugin. 2021. The Health Costs of Climate Change: How Canada Can Adapt, Prepare, and Save Lives. Canadian Climate Institute. https://climateinstitute.ca/reports/the-health-costs-of-climate-change/ 

Clarke, Ben, and Friederike Otto. 2024. “Reporting extreme weather and climate change: A guide of journalists.” World Weather Attribution. https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/reporting-extreme-weather-and-climate-change-a-guide-for-journalists/ 

Climate Atlas of Canada. (n.d.) Urban Heat Island Effect. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/urban-heat-island-effect 

Climate Atlas of Canada. 2024. “Heath impacts of extreme heat.” https://climateatlas.ca/health-impacts-extreme-heat 

ClimateData.ca. 2024. “Heat waves and climate change.” https://climatedata.ca/resource/heat-waves-and-climate-change/ 

Communicating the Health Risks of Extreme Heat Events: Toolkit for Public Health and Emergency Management Officials. 2011. Ottawa, Ontario: Health Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/environmental-workplace-health/reports-publications/climate-change-health/communicating-health-risks-extreme-heat-events-toolkit-public-health-emergency-management-officials-health-canada-2011.html

Environment and Climate Change Canada (2025) Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators: Extreme heat events. Consulted on Month day, year.  Available at: www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-indicators/extreme-heatevents.html  

Government of Canada. 2019. “Canada’s climate is warming twice as fast as global average.” Press release. April 2.  https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2019/04/canadas-climate-is-warming-twice-as-fast-as-global-average.html 

Government of Canada. 2024. “Extreme heat events: Overview.” May 7. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/climate-change-health/extreme-heat.html 

Hagemann, Hannah. 2018. “Northern Hemisphere Heat Waves Covering More Area than Before.” https://blogs.agu.org/geospace/2018/12/20/northern-hemisphere-heat-waves-covering-more-area-than-before/.

Henderson, Sarah B., Kathleen E. McLean, Michael J. Lee, and Tom Kosatsky. 2021. “Extreme heat events are public health emergencies.” BC Medical Journal, November. 

International Labour Organization. 2024. Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate. April 22. https://www.ilo.org/publications/ensuring-safety-and-health-work-changing-climate 

IPCC, 2022. Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Cambridge University Press. https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/9781009325844   

Kirchmeier-Young, Megan, N. P. Gillett, F. W. Zwiers, A. J. Cannon, and F. S. Anslow. 2019. “Attribution of the influence of human-induced climate change on an extreme fire season.” Earth’s Future, January. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EF001050 

Lawton, Betsy. 2025. “Home Cooling Policies Can Combat Health Impacts of Extreme Heat, But Should Be Paired with Strategies to Reduce Unintended Consequences.” https://www.networkforphl.org/news-insights/home-cooling-policies-can-combat-health-impacts-of-extreme-heat-but-should-be-paired-with-strategies-to-reduce-unintended-consequences/.

McBean, Gordon. 2024. “2023 was the hottest year in history — and Canada is warming faster than anywhere else on earth.” The Conversation, January 11. https://theconversation.com/2023-was-the-hottest-year-in-history-and-canada-is-warming-faster-than-anywhere-else-on-earth-220997 

Natural Resources Canada. 2024a. “Canada’s record-breaking wildfires in 2023: A fiery wake-up call.” May 21. https://natural-resources.canada.ca/simply-science/canadas-record-breaking-wildfires-2023-fiery-wake-call/25303 

Ness, Ryan, Dylan G. Clark, Julien Bourque, Dena Coffman, and Dale Beugin. 2021. Under Water: The Costs of Climate Change for Canada’s Infrastructure. Canadian Climate Institute. https://climateinstitute.ca/reports/under-water/ 

Parisien, Marc-André, Quinn E. Barber, Mathieu L. Bourbonnais, Lori D. Daniels, Mike D. Flannigan, Robert W. Gray, Kira M. Hoffman, Piyush Jain, Scott L. Stephens, Steve W. Taylor, and Ellen Whitman. 2023. “Abrupt, climate-induced increase in wildfires in British Columbia since the mid-2000s.” Communications Earth & Environment, September 5. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00977-1 

Pérez-Invernón, F.J., F.J. Gordillo-Vázquez, H.  Huntrieser,  et al. “Variation of lightning-ignited wildfire patterns under climate change.” Nature Communications  14, 739 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36500-5

Philip, Sjoukje Y., Sarah F. Kew, Geert Jan van Oldenborgh, et al. 2022. “Rapid attribution analysis of the extraordinary heat wave on the Pacific coast of the US and Canada in June 2021.” Earth System Dynamics, December 8. https://esd.copernicus.org/articles/13/1689/2022/  

PreparedBC. 2024. “Extreme heat preparedness guide.” Government of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/embc/preparedbc/preparedbc-guides/preparedbc_extreme_heat_guide.pdf 

Rantanen, Mika, Alexey Yu. Karpechko, Antti Lipponen, et al. 2022. “The Arctic has warmed nearly four times faster than the globe since 1979.” Commun Earth Environ 3, 168. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-022-00498-3 

Shingler, Benjamin. 2024. “Canada draws link between June heat wave and climate change with new attribution analysis.” CBC, July 9. https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/canada-eccc-rapid-attribution-heat-1.7257456 

Vicedo-Cabrera, A.M., N. Scovronick, F. Sera, et al. 2021. “The burden of heat-related mortality attributable to recent human-induced climate change.” Nature Climate Change, May 31. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-021-01058-x 

White, Rachel H., Sam Anderson, et al. 2023. “The unprecedented Pacific Northwest heatwave of June 2021.” Nature Communications, February 9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-36289-3 

World Meteorological Organization. 2023. “Climate change and heatwaves.” September 21. https://wmo.int/content/climate-change-and-heatwaves 

World Meteorological Organization. 2025. “WMO confirms 2024 as warmest year on record at about 1.55°C above pre-industrial level” January 10. https://wmo.int/news/media-centre/wmo-confirms-2024-warmest-year-record-about-155degc-above-pre-industrial-level

World Weather Attribution. 2023. “Climate change more than doubled the likelihood of extreme fire weather conditions in Eastern Canada.” August 22. https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/climate-change-more-than-doubled-the-likelihood-of-extreme-fire-weather-conditions-in-eastern-canada/